Super Bowl fever grips America

America's biggest sporting event brings USA to a halt as Seattle Seahawks beat Denver Broncos in the final on Sunday

Washington: Akin to how everything comes to a standstill when fierce cricketing rivals India take on Pakistan, the same happens in America as far as the Super Bowl is concerned.

Seattle Seahawks' Jermaine Kearse (right) and Tont Carter of Denver Broncos during the Super Bowl in New Jersey on Sunday. Pics/AFP

And that scenario didn’t change when Seattle Seahawks faced off against Denver Broncos in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday.

The thrill and euphoria extended from US President Barack Obama to a football fan who eagerly looked forward to the “Super Bowl Sunday”.

But the game isn’t anything like the football played in the rest of the world as two teams of eleven players, each dressed in helmets and thick shoulder pads, try to advance an oval ball down the field by running with or passingit.

Originating from the sport of rugby, the first game of American football was said to have been played on November 6, 1869, between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton.

Obama celebrated the Super Bowl by having the White House tweet a picture of him throwing a football. He also gave his sixth traditional Super Bowl Sunday interview on TV. The Seattle Seahawks won their first Super Bowl title beating the Denver Broncos 43-8.

Seattle Seahawks' cheerleaders celebrate after the win

Super Bowl facts

> Nine out of 10 Americans watch the Super Bowl on TV and consume an estimated 50 million cases of beer. Super Bowl Sunday is the 2nd largest day for US food consumption after Thanksgiving.